do you think that social services have a right to put a child into care because of him being obese?

Answer 1

Abuse is abuse, and that is definatly a form of abuse and should be dealt with as such.

Answer 2

I dont feel that they have a right to remove any child from thier home unless the child is being beaten and abused. Social services think they are doing the best thing for children by removing them from thier homes. They arent. No matter how good or how bad a parent is a child will always love his or her parents and by removing only punishes the child . Social services is supposed to be services at least thats what thier name implies so why dont they help provide services to work with the familes with the children staying with thier parents. I dont see how anyone has the right to take away someone elses baby . Something that grew inside the mother and she had the pain of having the baby and raise it the best she knows how then for some goody tushoe to come around and say I dont like the way you are being a mother so I am taking your baby. Thats bull shi t . If they do anything they should get information to the mother on how she might be able to do things alittle better which would be beetter for the child. There is no real right or wrong way to raise a child anyway and there are no perfect parents some how at sometime we all screw up some how and do something wrong that could of been done better or different and there is no guaruntee no matter what a parent does how thier child will turn out. I had a neighbor who was a foster mother who had a few children in her care that were taken away from thier mother when she tested positive for drugs at a random drug test at her work. After loosing her kids I guess she went nuts and never got the kids back since they stayed with the foster mother for years . the foster mother would take them to church every sunday and was really a very nice lady . but by the time one of the boys was 13 he was using drugs. Here they removed these kids from thier home because the mother had tested positive for marijuana i guess it was even though she was working and didnt recieve any type of aid and provided for them a home and everything they needed social services removed them and distroyed the mother and all for what since the one of the boys in a good home ended up becoming a drug addict at 13 and he wasnt smoking marijuana , I guess he was smoking that ice and heroin. Social services I think needs to social service them selves and stop distroying peoples lives and learn how to really service and help people. The only time I think a child should be removed is if it is being beaten or neglected. I sure hope this child isnt yours and they have taken him or her away from you because it isnt right. Or that if it is your child they arent threatening you to remove him or her because no one should have to live with that fear. If it is someone elses child that you know I hope you are able to help them so they dont loose their child because once the system gets the child they make it almost impossible to get them back and even if the parent gets the child back the child will always be fearful of being taken away again and no child should have to grown up like that . The system really sucks if you ask me.

Answer 3

As a mother myself to a 9 year old boy I can see both sides of the situation that we have seen in the press.

If the parent has raised this child not giving him healthy food as we know it or not encouraging him to exercise then 'the authorities' can argue neglect, to which I agree.

This then raises the issue, has the parent any knowledge into what is and isn't the healthy kind of food or that indeed to maintain a healthy weight and body etc every single one of us needs to exercise.

If this be the case why can't they 'educate' the parent in nutrition and fitness??

On the other hand however, should this awful story be more down to the fact it could be more down to a medical problem E.G. under active thyroid then no of course these people that in some circumstances have too much authority do not have the right to take away this child.

Another aspect that they have to look in to is the child's mental state. How is he going to feel being taken away from his home just because he's obese?? That's how he will see it. Regardless of whether this is 'neglect' or medical his home is his normality his stability and they are taking that away from him. This in itself could cause problems for his eating too. We all know that nowadays it's very natural to comfort eat when we feel low??

Bottom line, I think that taking the child into care should be the most extreme last resort!!!

Answer 4

It would depend on the situation. If the parents are indulging the child to the point of obesity then that is a form of abuse and the parents need to be trained on how to say no to the child. Also if the parents, after the training, are still over indulging the child to the point of it being detrimental to the child's health and the parents don't seem to understand then yes the child needs to be protected. On the other hand if it is a medical problem and the parents are addressing it as best as they can then no. The removal of the child from the home could be more detrimental to the child than leaving the child with the parents.

Answer 5

I think that the family should receive education in dietary and nutritional information, including cookery classes. Its obvious they need someone to guide them. But it is also obvious that the child is loved, but for some reason this love comes in the form of overfeeding him. Maybe giving a reward of food is the way that the parents were brought up and they have no knowledge of how to keep their child healthy. I DO NOT agree with the boy being taken into care, this would be traumatic for the whole family. The problem can be solved through education and supervision.

Answer 6

Yes! Obesity is not good for a child. Pretty clear that the parents don't know how to feed properly. Abuse.

I get upset when I'm in a restaurant and I see an obese parent ordering huge strawberry shortcakes for their pudgy child, and then urging the kid to eat it all gone.

Answer 7

I just read about that story! It does sound a bit crazy. However, you have to question how this boy is being looked after. Surely a parent's duty is to ensure that their child is adequately nourished and kept in good health. This child is only 8 and is already 14 stones. This is not only unhealthy, but imagine the psychological impact on the boy who must be getting all sorts of insults from his peers.
Maybe taking him into care is a bit over the top, but social services should make every effort to advise his mother on what she needs to do to get her child heathy again.

Answer 8

If he is truly obese, then yes. Obesity is a disease. Obese people are less likely to live past 45. They are socially awkward because of their weight. It is terrible parenting for parents to allow their child to get so heavy.

Answer 9

Personally I think the child welfare system is out of control and should be disbanded. Abuse should be a criminal matter. Child welfare seems to work above the law and not with it....60% of all children removed from their families have been proven should have never been removed and the incidents of abuse and even child death increase in foster care.I have never heard a child grow up in foster care and say "gee thanks for tearing my family apart...and by the way , have you seen any of my brother's or sister's?!"... I know there are some children who truly need help...but the current welfare system cannot help them...there has to be a better way. I hope one day they find it.

Answer 10

Well, that depends...alot of the kids have major health problems. Some of them stop breathing and have to be revived. Not to mention all the other problems that come along with it. Now, if the parent is trying to do everything that they can to help the child, then no. But I saw this one lady on tv who said she wasn't going to make her baby go on a diet or excercise or anything. Now to me that's abuse and someone needs to interveine on behalf of the child. She was letting her child eat ungodly amounts of food. Losing weight can be one if not the hardest thing to do. But, these are extreme cases and should be handled case by case.

Answer 11

it's sad but there isn't really a happy answer to this question

if it's proved that he's obese due to the neglect of his parents then yes.

every child has the right to a happy and healthy child hood and weighing 14 stone at age 8 is neither of these.

i'm sure his mum loves him but she should have got help way before he got this big

if the foods not in the house he couldn't eat it and if he's got no or little money then he can't buy it.